Bodegas y Vinedos Maurodos Prima Toro (2008)

Toro, the "Bull." The word conjures images of a large steer adorned with horns, huffing as it stares you down.  For history buffs, the word evokes images of a medieval Castillian landscape with stately churches, ruined castles and aging vineyards.  For wine connoisseurs, those vineyards have a history unto themselves.  Wine production in and around the town of Toro, located in the Spanish region of Zamorra, dates back to approximately the first century B.C.  Greeks who traveled to this region brought the grapes and vines with them, teaching the indigenous Celtic tribesmen how to cultivate the viones and produce the wines. 

Fast forward a couple of centuries, Toro has established itself a prominent wine producing region in Spain.  Toro has its own Denominación de Origen (DO).  The DO extends over both Zamorra and Valladolid.  The primary grape grown in Toro is Tinta de Toro, which is a variant of the Tempranillo grape.  The rules of the DO also allow for the production of Garnacha grapes, along with two white grapes: Verdejo and Malvasia. 

The Prima Toro pours a very dark purple, which lightens to a cherry red along the edges of the wine. The aromatic elements of this wine feature red fruit, such as cherries, blackberries and strawberries, which become more developed as the wine decants.  The taste of this wine mirrors the aromas, with cherries being the primary taste.  There are supporting flavors, which are found along the edges.  These flavors include a little spice.  The spice is mostly black pepper, but there is a little hint of vanilla that complements the spice flavors.  These flavors are most likely the result of the aging of the wine in oak barrels.

The Prima Toro is a very bold assertive wine, kind of the "bull" of Spanish wine.  It is a powerful wine and, consequently, the Prima should be decanted for at least a half hour to at most an hour.  The air lets the wine breathe, which helps to bring out the aromas and tastes of the wine, as well as tamp down the tannins.

ENJOY!

For more about the Toro DO, check out Wikipedia. 

Heredad Vina Carles Priorat (2005)

As I have previously noted, Clare and I are part of a wine club where couples meet once a month.  One couple hosts and cooks a four course meal, while another couple brings the wine to pair with each course.  All of the other couples enjoy both the food and wine.  Recently, the host couple cooked a four course Spanish dinner.  And we had the duty to pair these dishes with Spanish wines.  

Of course, as part of our duty, I had to sample some Spanish wines.  There is no better way to learn about wine than to drink a glass or two.  During my research,  I had the opportunity to learn about the Spanish -- or, more accurately Catalan -- wine region of Priorat. The Priorat is a Denominacio d'Origin Qualificada  (DOQ) located in the Spanish region of Tarragona.  Priorat wines are traditionally made from Garnacha Tinta grapes grown within the designated geographical region.  However, the rules of of the DOQ allow vineyards in this region to grow other red grapes, such as Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. 

The Carles Priorat is not a traditional Priorat made entirely from Garnacha grapes.  Instead, it is a blend of grapes.  The blend for the 2005 vintage consists of 60% Cariñena (or Carignan, if you are in France), 30% Garnacha (or, once again, Grenache if you are in France), and 10% Syrah.  For me, this is an interesting blend because of the prominence of the Cariñena grape. 

The Carles Priorat pours a rather bright crimson red in color. The aromatic elements of this wine include ripe red fruit, like cherries, dark cherries or plums.  The body of the wine is full and jammy.  The flavor of the wine includes ripe cherries, as well as a little raspberry.  There is a little earthiness on the finish, with a hint of spice.  The earthiness and spice led to a dry finish. 

For me, the Carles Priorat is a bold wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon, and, as such, this Priorat is paired best with roasted red meats, some stews and other earthy dishes.  The wine also pairs well with hard cheeses, such as cow and goat cheeses like Garrotxa and Urgélia.

This wine is available at some wine stores and grocery stores.  I found a bottle for $17.99, and on sale for $14.99.